In The News

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat meet and conclude a long-awaited agreement for Israel to pull back its troops from most of Hebron and turn the occupied West Bank city over to Palestinian rule.

The House Ethics Committee votes to impose a $300,000 penalty and formal reprimand on Rep. Newt Gingrich for ethical lapses that were either “intentional or reckless.”

Bill Cosby Son Murdered – week of January 15, 1997

Ennis Cosby, son of entertainer Bill Cosby, is found slain near a Southern California freeway where he had stopped to fix a flat tire. He was found by a woman who said she saw a man leaving the area. The lug nuts of a new tire had started to be replaced with the body found sprawled nearby on the same drivers side. Reached in New York - Bill Cosby released a brief statement, expressing confidence in LAPD and adding “Our hearts go out to each and every family in which such an incident has occurred. This is a life experience that is truly difficult to share.”

More News

Larry Smith, a processor with Photo Craft Laboratories and Brett Allen Sawyer - a former deputy, are arrested in Boulder, Colo on charges of leaking the JonBenet Ramsey crime-scene photos to the tabloid paper - the Globe. The little girl was found strangled in the basement of her home December 26.

Mexico announces that it is repaying the last of the U.S emergency bailout package three years early - the final $3.5 billion of a $13.5 billion loan the U.S. gave the country after the 1994 peso devaluation raised fear of defaults.

Inaugural parties - can be found all around Washington DC, but one of the hottest is sponsored by Conde Naste Publications and the MTVnetworks at the Corcoran Gallery. Among those attending that event were Kevin Spacey, David Keith and Jimmy Smiths, Lauren Hutton and many more.

William Jefferson Clinton takes the oath of office for the second time “Today we declare: Government is not the problem. And government is not the solution. We - the American people - we are the solution.” His 22-minute address called for national unity several times: “We must succeed as one America”

Consumer price inflation - fueled by a jump in energy prices and food costs, rose to 3.3% last year, the highest in six years, according to the Labor Department.

Business news - January 15, 1997

Intel says that robust sales in Asia and demand for PC’s by businesses - sent its profit souring 41% in the fourth quarter.

Raytheon Corp acquires Hughs Electronics Corp for $9.5 billion.

AOL asks users to cut back - America Online is asking users to scale back their time online to help address the customer complaints and lawsuits spurred in part, by its new $19.95 flat rate. That new plan is attracting a record number of subs - now over 8 million according to AOL. Recently, AOL experienced a partial service outage for nearly four hours. Subscribers have been frustrated because they have encountered repeated busy signals when they try to dial in. Lawsuits have been filed on behalf of subscribers in Los Angeles and New York. The company says it is cutting back on marketing and asking customers to cut back. It says the average customer now spends about 32 minutes a day online, more than double the time in September.

Weather news - the village of Montague - not far from Buffalo, NY - sets a U.S. record this week for the most snowfall in a single day. 77 inches came down during a 24-hour period in the middle of a massive storm. Montague, with a population of 64, is the nation’s leading producer of Philadelphia brand cream cheese.

Sarah Ferguson - the Duchess of York, signs-on as a spokeswoman for Weight Watchers International. This is her third promotional deal since her divorce from Prince Andrew last year. You can catch her endorsing Ocean Spray and Olympus digital cameras.

The Islamic Society of North America condemns basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for appearing in a recent Coors beer commercial - calling the spot “devastating.” The commercials, which began Jan 1, are running concurrent with the observance of Ramadan, the holiest month on the Islamic calendar. The use of alcohol is prohibited in Islam.

Weeknights at 10pm on Court-TV - its (Johnny )Cochran & (Nancy)Grace. “America’s most famous defense lawyer now has a real fight on his hands. He’s facing off, live, every weeknight against Nancy Grace - a prosecutor and victims’ rights advocate who’s never lost a case. It’s a nightly dialogue - and battle - of issues and the law.”

Sports news – January 15, 1997

Passing - baseball great Curt Flood (59). Had a lifetime batting average of .293. After the 1969 baseball season, he was traded by St Louis to Philadelphia. Rejecting Philly’s $100,000 contract, he challenged baseball’s reserve system and antitrust laws. He sat out the 1970 season and began a series of court laws. All were rejected and resulted in the Supreme Court upholding to uphold baseball’s antitrust laws.

Passing - Robert Irsay (73) - owner of the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts’ owner was vilified in Baltimore for moving the team.

More sports Dennis Rodman kicks a courtside cameraman in the groin, then complained the man was faking it. Later - The NBA fines Dennis Rodman of the Chicago Bulls $25,000 and suspends him for 11 days for kicking the photographer during a game at Minnesota, and orders him to see a counselor it designates.

Entertainment/Movie/Celebrity news – January 15, 1997

It looks like the voice of James Doohan (Scottie on Star Trek), which appeared on a character called Pippen on UPN’s “Homeboys In Outer Space” will not be returning. The character was a parody of “Scottie” and Paramount, which owns Star Trek, sent a letter to the show’s producer - Disney, saying, “You’re not allowed to parody it.” After only three appearances, the character will be gone.

At the 54th annual Golden Globe awards - some winners:

For Movies -

Drama - “The English Patient”

Actor, drama - Geoffrey Rush - “Shine”

Actress, drama - Brenda Blethyn - “Secrets & Lies”

Musical or comedy - “Evita”

Actor - musical or comedy - Tom Cruise - “Jerry Maguire”

Actress - musical or comedy - Madonna - “Evita”

For Television -

Drama series - X-Files

Actor - drama series - David Duchovny - “The X-Files”

Actress- drama series - Gillian Anderson - “The X-Files”

Musical or comedy series - “3rd Rock From The Sun”

Actor, musical or comedy series - John Lithgow - “3rd Rock From The Sun”

Peter Buck of R.E.M. says he is planning to tour with former American Music Club leader mark Eitzel to support Eitzel’s upcoming CD. Buck produced and wrote the music for the CD, with Eitzel writing the lyrics. A release date is pending.